Electrical contact device



May 27 1924.

1,495,528 c. H. RAsMussEN A ELECTRICAL vCONTACT DEVICE Filed Nov. 22 1920 FZ5 l.

www

5mm/bola CFR'AsMUSsEN,

MMS..

Patented May 27, 192i ,CHRIsTrAN it.' Rasi/inserm, or CLEVELAND, onto, assrenon ro 'rein EUCLID ELEC- Taro Ann Maiirnrac'rwarne COMPANY, A coarona'rronor cierro.

ELECTRICAL CDNT'ACT DEVICE.

Application filed November 22, 1920. Serial No. 425,731.

vT 0 all whomz't may concern.'

Be it known that I, CrrnrsriAN II. RAS- MUssniv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have linvented certain new and useful Improvements in an Electrical Contact Device, of which the following is a specification.

In general, my object is to provide an electrical contact device which is especially designed and constructed for use in electric controllers to promote separability, convenient adjustment, compactness, durability and protection, all as shown and described herein and more concisely pointed out inthe Vclaims forming part hereof.

In the drawing accompanying this application, Figfl is a plan view or elevation of my improved contact device, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view centrally through the contact finger' and its mounting, and also a section of a rotatable member forming part of an electric controller. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the contact device, the laminated conductor being partly broken away to disclose interior parts. Fig. 4 is a cross section on line i-4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 illustrates a. modified form of the invent-ion.

The invention comprises a metal finger 2 having a bifurcated or slotted end 8 within which the fiat tongue 4t of a rounded wedge- Ashaped contact member 5 is rigidly but detachably secured by screw 5. When one of the contact surfaces of member 5 becomes worn the opposite rounded surface may be used by reversing the position of said member in the slotted end of the finger. The opposite end of the finger is provided with a short depending lip which is adapted to bear against a shoulder 7 at the rear end of the cross wall or seat 8 of a hollow bracket or housing comprising a cast metal body 9 having a rectangular flat-sided chamber 10 therein which is open at its rear. The lip end of finger 2 is narrower than the main body portion and rests between ears or extensions 11 of the parallelV side walls of body 9, and these extensions 11 together with lip 6 prevent displacement of the finger laterally and longitudinally in respect to the mounting although permitting the finger to rock or turn freely within limits upon cross wall 8. Finger 2 is also preferably rounded at its end to permit a laminated copper conductor 12 to be flexed on a sweeping curve between its ends where fastened to finger l2 and to the straight arml of'body 9 which is bolted or screwed to b'ar "14al` Arm 13 'has a lateral offset 15 with a 'bore' 16 adapted to receive a wire connection which may b'e fastened in place vbya binding screwl17.'

Finger 2 is held in working position upon body 9 by a bolt or screw 18 having a head 19 adapted to bear upon the outerside of finger 2 at a point directly opposite chamber 10, and openings are provided within linger 2 and 'top 9 to permit screw 18 to extend into the chamber where it is adapted to engage av flat-sided nut 2O which is kept from turning because the flat sides of the nut are constantly engaged with the inner faces' of the side walls of body 9. A coiled spring 21 is sleeved over screw 18 in end bearing engagement with nut 2O and the inner side of cross wall 8, thereby constantly pressing finger 2 toward the body and holding said linger in yielding position thereon. Only the head 19 of the screw is exposed and to increase the spring tension the screw is turned by means of this head, which draws nut 2O and compresses the spring. A set screw 22 extends through finger 2 opposite cross. wall 8 of body 9 to limit the movement of the finger inwardly in respect to the contact segments 28 of a-rotatable controller member 211. y

In making repairs or replacements finger 2 may be released and bodily separated from body 9 simply by unscrewing and removing screw 18. In this operation, nut 20 is pressed by spring 21 against the bottom 25 of chamber 10 and is held in that position by the spring. Thus, when the parts are reassembled the nut will be in position to be engaged by screw 18 and a few turns o f the screw will draw the nut outwardly and again establish the desired tension.

In Fig. 5 I show a slightly modified form of the device, the only dierence in construction from the device shown in the other figures being in the form and outline of body 9 and in theuse of a round fulcrum 26 for` finger 2, together with a semi-circular seat 27 or groove within finger 2 and a depending projection 28 whereby the finger is held against displacement longitudinally.

What I claim is:

1. A contact finger `for electric controllers, comprising a body having a rectangular chamber open at one end only, a nut conlined Within said chamber of a size having sliding engagement with the side Walls of said chamber to prevent rotation of said nut, a Contact finger in pivotal engagement With the top Wall of said Chamber and a headed screw exposed outside of said body and extending down through said finger and the top Wall of said chamber, into said chamber and into engagement With said nut, and a coiled spring interposed between said nut and top Wall Within said chamber.

2. A Contact linger for electric controllers, comprising a body having a rectangular chamber open at one side, a Contact finger in fnlerum engagement with said body, a

screw extending through said finger into said chamber, a flat-sided nut slidably engaged with the side Walls of said chamber to prevent the nnt from turning, a spring seated between said nut and engaged With said body, and a screw extending through said finger and body and spring and nut adapted to shift said nut and adjust the tension having an enlargement and operating means engaged With said linger.

Signed at Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, this 16th day of November, 1920.

CHRISTIAN H. RASMUSSEN. 

